IExpress Technology and the IExpress Wizard

IExpress is a technology designed to simplify creation of a setup program. Using the step-by-step IExpress Wizard, you can create self-extracting files that automatically run the setup program contained inside. The setup program can be an .inf file or an executable program. IExpress technology automatically removes the setup files after installation, saving the user time and frustration.

The IExpress Wizard can help you carry out specialized installations of your customized browser package, such as determining whether the computer needs to be restarted after installation. You can find the IExpress Wizard (IExpress.exe) in the \<IEAK program folder>\Tools folder. Certain choices you make in the wizard correspond to particular batch-mode setup switches.

IExpress uses a Self-Extraction Directive (.sed) file to store information about your package. When you run the IExpress Wizard, you can start with an existing .sed file or create a new one by using the wizard. The .sed file contains information and instructions about the setup package.

If you are building a self-extracting file with IExpress and the language of this self-extracting file is different from the language of the Internet Explorer 6 Customization Wizard, copy the Wextract.exe and Advpack.dll files from the \<IEAK program folder>\Iebin\<lang>\Optional folder to the \<IEAK program folder>\Tools folder (where the Iexpress.exe, Makecab.exe, W95inf32.dll, and W95inf16.dll files are located). Include advpack.dll in your package.

Features of IExpress Technology

Silent, hands-free installation of Internet Explorer

Support for upgrading without having to remove a previous installation

Settings You Can Specify in .inf Files Used by IExpress

Determine whether the self-installing package is for administrators or general users.

Set multiple ways of running the embedded install command, such as normal or silent modes.

Determine whether the IExpress dynamic-link libraries (.dll files) on a user's computer are to be updated if they are older than the current ones.

Specify target versions, such as the operating system version range, the browser version range, or any application version range (identified by one or multiple file versions) that the package is compatible with.

Determine, in batch mode, whether to warn the user when another copy of the package is running, to block two packages from running at the same time, or to not do anything.

Update and add files to the IExpress package with the UPDFILE tool without having to rebuild the package.

Replace Runonce with RunOnceEx (if the newer version of Iernonce.dll exists), giving the author control over the job executing order and status display.

Provide a mechanism for corporate administrators to set up any necessary support for roaming users.

Enable ICPs and ISPs to generate packages that include preconfigured desktops that present custom content to the user.

Provide support for multiple download sites.

Provide support for internal and external development, customization, expandability, and enhanced debugging.